IMDb 6.5 2004 HD

A Man’s Gotta Do

A Man’s Gotta Do

2004
Comedy
93 min TV-14 USA
3.667 / 10
6.5 IMDB

Eddy does what he has to do to give his family what they want. For the last 25 years, he has secretly moonlighted as a "standover" man, purely…

Personnel // Cast & Crew

Director Chris Kennedy
Starring
Rebecca Frith / Gyton Grantley / Amie McKenna / John Howard / Alyssa McClelland

How Viewers Describe This Film

Common themes and sentiments

poignant gritty emotional complex sacrificial strained Australian dramatic introspective heartfelt melancholic earnest

Reviews

G
Genevieve Dubois
May 8, 2026
3.5 / 5
3.5

This Australian film offers a compelling character study of a father grappling with his dual existence. 'A Man's Gotta Do' centres on Eddy's hidden life as a 'standover' man, a secret kept for the sake of his family's…

D
David Sterling
May 8, 2026
4.5 / 5
4.5

A deeply affecting and surprisingly nuanced Australian drama, 'A Man's Gotta Do' succeeds through its potent exploration of paternal sacrifice and emotional isolation. The film masterfully portrays Eddy's secret life as a means to an end, a desperate…

S
Sophia Chen
May 8, 2026
3.0 / 5
3.0

This 2004 Australian feature delves into the sacrifices made by a father for his family, presenting a narrative driven by secrets and emotional restraint. Eddy's clandestine career as a 'standover' man is the engine of the plot, but…

M
Marcus Bellweather
May 8, 2026
4.0 / 5
4.0

'A Man's Gotta Do' presents a gritty portrait of paternal obligation, set against a distinctly Australian backdrop. The premise of a father leading a double life for his family's betterment is handled with a degree of earnestness that…

E
Eleanor Vance
May 8, 2026
3.5 / 5
3.5

This Australian drama offers a compelling, if somewhat familiar, exploration of a father's hidden sacrifices. The narrative centres on Eddy, a man whose quarter-century as a 'standover' man is revealed as a desperate bid to provide his family…

FAQs

Eddy's primary challenge is internal: bridging the emotional chasm between himself and his daughter, Chantelle. He finds expressing his feelings difficult, leading Chantelle to perceive him as solely angry. This emotional block is exacerbated by his secret double life as a 'standover' man, which he maintains to provide for his family. As Chantelle prepares to leave, Eddy grapples with recapturing their past closeness, a task made more complex by the secrets he harbours.